Quadruple a step nearer for Manchester City but focus is still 'game by game'

City clear at the top of the Premier League, in the final of the League Cup, in the last-eight draw of the Champions League and face Everton in the FA Cup next

MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson, 7 - A brilliant early save following a deflection set the tone for a professional and well-rounded performance. His passing, both short and long range, was also superb. Getty

Kyle Walker, 7 - The defender was solid at the back and looked to get forward when safe to do so. He was also happy to slow the pace of the game down in what proved to be a smart display. PA

John Stones, 8 - Quick passing movement and strong tackling instincts reaffirmed why Stones should be an England starter during the international break. He started the moves for both goals and was flawless at the back. AP

Ruben Dias, 7 - Was happy to sit deep at the back and soak up any lingering pressure, but also throw his body on the line when needed to make a crucial block. AFP

Joao Cancelo, 7 - The seamless nature with which Cancelo moved into different positions was matched only by his absolutely insane stamina. AP

Rodri, 5 - Outside of a nice flick in the lead up to the first goal, Rodri seemed to conserve his energy and didn’t really assert himself in midfield. Getty

Ilkay Gundogan, 8 - Gundogan continues to build momentum courtesy of a nice finish for City’s second goal, his 15th of the season. In addition, he also consistently cut through the visitors’ defence with ease. Getty

Bernardo Silva, 7 - The trickery, the pace and the ability to dart around the pitch in the blink of an eye - three traits that enabled him to press the opposition all game. AP

Kevin de Bruyne, 9 - He was instrumental in just about every City attack, but De Bruyne’s highlight came with his sensational strike with his left foot to open the scoring. AP

Riyad Mahrez, 7 - Continually cut inside with ease and had what felt like 20 shots on goal without quite being able to discover his finishing touch. Getty

Phil Foden, 7 - The youngster never stopped running and was the catalyst behind the assist for Gundogan’s finish in the first half. AP

SUBS: Fernandinho, 7 - The slick nature of the midfielder’s decision making showed great composure, and he was constantly looking for a third goal on the night. Reuters

Oleksandr Zinchenko, 6 - Wanted the ball and wanted to make an impact even if City didn’t really have the sustained urgency to accommodate him. Reuters

Aymeric Laporte, 6 - Made a few sharp interceptions and generally didn’t put a foot wrong in his brief cameo. PA

Raheem Sterling, 5 - Slipped over and lost his balance in what proved to be the former Liverpool man’s only real contribution. Reuters

Sergio Aguero, N/A - Fought hard and waited patiently for a shot at goal that just never really arrived. PA

BORUSSIA MOENCHENGLADBACH RATINGS: Yann Sommer, 5 - Even though he rarely put a foot wrong, Sommer was unable to do anything to prevent either of Manchester City’s goals. Reuters

Ramy Bensebaini, 3 - Was a bystander as De Bruyne thundered City into the lead and was sloppy throughout the game. AP

Nico Elvedi, 4 - Pep’s men peppered the Monchengladbach half and players like Elvedi simply couldn’t handle the tempo. AP

Matthias Ginter, 5 - Despite being pulled out of position for Gundogan’s goal, Ginter was probably the shining light of his team’s defensive unit. EPA

Stefan Lainer, 5 - In the midst of the endless pressure he was under, the defender picked up one of the sillier yellow cards of his career with a hand to the face of De Bruyne. AP

Denis Zakaria, 4 - Was hopelessly outmatched in the middle of the park and looked like he didn’t want to be there. AP

Florian Neuhaus, 6 - The turn and vision of Neuhaus need to be appreciated, even if he was unable to get his teammates moving. Getty

Jonas Hofmann, 5 - Constantly chased shadows even though, whenever he did get on the ball, he seemed to carry it with real intent.

Lars Stindl, 6 - The captain dropped deep, battled his heart out and never stopped running until the final whistle. EPA

Marcus Thuram, 6 - Had to come way too far back in an effort to pick up possession, although whenever he did get on the ball he wasn’t shy about surging into the final third. AP

Breel Embolo, 6 - Embolo’s hold up play and distribution were two of the only major assets Monchengladbach had at their disposal. AP

SUBS: Alassane Plea, 6 - Ran hard and pushed forward in search of an opportunity, but in the end City’s defensive structure wouldn’t allow him a sniff at goal. Getty

Hannes Wolf, 6 - An ambitious 77th-minute strike showcased what he’s capable of providing for this Gladbach side. Getty

Ibrahima Traore, N/A - Snatched at his only good chance in what was a forgettable appearance in Budapest. Getty

Oscar Wendt, N/A - Got stuck in but only had a few minutes of time on the pitch as Gladbach attempted to avoid further embarrassment. Reuters

Tony Jantschke, N/A - Attempted to throw the hosts off balance in their pursuit of a third goal and generally succeeded. Getty

Kevin de Bruyne’s left foot had helped ease Manchester City’s passage into the Champions League quarter-finals with a glorious goal against Borussia Monchengladbach. Then he toed the party line. “We focus game by game,” he said.

It is a cliched formula that has served them well. In their last 25 games, City have won 24; 15 with clean sheets, 19 by at least two goals. The defeat against Manchester United apart, they have trailed for 22 minutes. It represents a startling turnaround.

In September, City conceded five times in a match, the first time a Pep Guardiola side had ever done that. In December, the Catalan admitted: “I don’t like my team, the way we play.” They were level on points with 10th-place Wolves.

Since then, they have won 96 per cent of their games. The prospect of ignominy has been replaced by the chance to make history.

Two years ago, City did an unprecedented treble of the Premier League, the FA Cup and the League Cup. No English club has ever done the quadruple. One is determined not to talk about it. Guardiola rebuked Oleksandr Zinchenko for sounding bullish on Tuesday when the Ukrainian said: "Everything is possible."

The manager’s argument has been consistent. "When you say, 'Why don't you win the four titles?' It's impossible for that to happen," he said. That was in 2018, when City posted 100 points but went out of the FA Cup to League One Wigan and suffered the first of three consecutive Champions League quarter-final exits.

“People two years ago were saying that we could win it,” said De Bruyne who, unlike Zinchenko, adhered to Guardiola’s school of thought. “The amount of games and the physical and mental ability you need to have as a player or as a squad is very high.”

As City know more than most, knockout competitions mean one game, one decision, one error or one miss can end the chance of a clean sweep. Fabian Delph’s rash lunge reduced them to 10 men at Wigan in 2018.

The 2019 Champions League exit to Tottenham included a Sergio Aguero penalty miss, a Fernando Llorente decider that brushed his arm before going in off his hip and an injury-time City 'winner' that was celebrated before being disallowed by VAR.

In short, City need to be flawless on three fronts now. They only have margin for error is the Premier League. Sixteen points from nine games will make a third title in four years mathematically certain; nine should probably suffice.

The League Cup is the next most attainable. Only Tottenham separate City from a fourth successive Wembley win in the competition but the temptation to assume the final is a formality should be ignored. Guardiola has a reputation as Jose Mourinho’s nemesis, but the Portuguese has nine wins in their meetings, two of them with Tottenham.

The FA Cup takes City to Everton on Saturday, where Guardiola has lost 4-0, against Carlo Ancelotti, whose Real Madrid ended his Bayern Munich’s hopes of a treble in the 2014 Champions League semi-finals.

The competition still includes Leicester, triumphant 5-2 against City this season, Chelsea, unbeaten under Thomas Tuchel, and United, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer boasting a winning record against Guardiola.

And yet there is no doubt the Champions League represents the hardest to win. Monchengladbach captain Lars Stindl called City “the best team in the world at the moment” but Guardiola would argue Bayern are the favourites.

They proved last year they can beat Europe’s best. They have 18 victories in their last 19 Champions League games and an attack spearheaded by 39-goal Robert Lewandowski, as many as Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne and Aguero have between them.

Anyone who wants to secure the Champions League will have to beat Bayern or Paris Saint-Germain, if not both, and City’s ambitions were thwarted by Mauricio Pochettino two years ago.

It is also worth noting that only seven clubs have won it as part of the most prestigious treble and Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and Celtic were in very different domestic leagues.

It leaves United, Mourinho’s Inter Milan and two Bayern and Barcelona sides, one managed by Guardiola. He speaks from experience when he says how hard a quadruple is, so it would be a stunning achievement if City managed it.